18 January 2011

Bargello and Fassett

I have recently dived headfirst into the world of quilting, which is a very different world than I previously thought. Luckily for me, I have found it to be a great creative outlet, an excuse for some time alone and, let's face it, downright fun.  What I love most about it is it forces me into the world of color.  I am a pencil artist at heart, so shading I understand.  My wardrobe is filled with neutrals, which require no thought to mix-and-match.  When I do use color, I stick to mono- or di-chromatic palettes, so quilting is mostly an exercise in flexing my artistic muscle.

Fabric is such a fascinating medium.  Thin as paper, prints in every color and pattern imaginable, it is a veritable wonderland from which to choose the right ones for the job.  It is then transformed, sculpture-like, into a mind-boggling piece of art.

Bargello
My sister-in-law introduced me to the Bargello technique a few days ago, and let me tell you, these quilts make my brain feel like a pinball machine.  Tiny bits of fabric are mosaic-ed together deliberately to make the viewer's jaw drop.

For example:





And the one I'm most drawn to because it's monochromatic:


Fassett
Kaffe Fasset is a textile designer who also quilts.  His quilts have been lauded as ground-breaking, visionary and true art.  Like the Bargellos, his quilts make my heart go pitter-pat.  Here's a few examples of his work:



The man himself.


I apologize for the book cover, but I love the quilts pictured here:


I hope these quilts added a splash of color to this winter day.  If you have any favorite quilts, please share!

5 comments:

  1. I love this quilt:
    http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2011/01/tokyo-subway-map-quilt-is-finished.html

    If we move to Japan, I may have to make one!!

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  2. I found these yesterday and really love them -- http://cyberohashi.com/quiltpics/pages/quilts%20003.htm

    They're called Irish Chain Quilts - single, double or triple. Personally I enjoy the contrast possibilities and the mathematical aspect of being able to add a dimension of chain. Maybe if someone made a 4-chain one it would be able to see time? Sorry, nerd comment :)

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  3. Haha! Jody, here of all places you are welcome to be a nerd! And I love that you see the quilts as a mathematical "problem", where I see them more as a work of art. Hmmm...this reminds me of the science vs. art argument at Christmas! :)

    Dawn - are quilts art, math or something else entirely for you?

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  4. Art, and the expression of self through color. I love the infinite possibilities of color combinations. I've decided my house is much too boring, and needs a lot more color to liven it up!

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